


Why is This so Hard for You?

by Ky7563



Series: Me Projecting Onto Wilbur Soot [2]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Again, Angst, Bad Parent Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Crying, Genderfluid, Genderfluid Character, Genderfluid Wilbur Soot, I Made Myself Cry, Men Crying, Mentioned Floris | Fundy, Sad Wilbur Soot, They/Them Pronouns for Wilbur Soot, he's genderfluid in this, once again not a tag but yeah, that's not a tag but still
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 18:28:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29283030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ky7563/pseuds/Ky7563
Summary: "I want to tell you something, um... so you know how I'm genderfluid, right and I-I know what you think about these things, but... How would you feel if I had a new name?" Wilbur's leg wouldn't stop bouncing and they glanced up, finally gathering up the courage to look their father in the eyes and--That was a mistake.———or; Wilbur decides to tell their dad that their changing their name!... It doesn’t go very well.
Relationships: Floris | Fundy & Wilbur Soot, Wilbur Soot & Phil Watson
Series: Me Projecting Onto Wilbur Soot [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2141688
Comments: 9
Kudos: 102





	Why is This so Hard for You?

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I’m well aware that William is Wilbur’s actual name— I just couldn’t think of another name, so it’s just gonna be that. Fundy’s dead name is Flora, as it’s a more feminine version of Floris and yeah! Enjoy me projecting my parental issues with my name into Wilbur!
> 
> PS! A happier version will be out in, like, ten minutes when I’m writing this! A version where Phil is an actual good dad, because I felt like writing a good parent as a way to ignore how shit mine are 😃

"Dad? Could I talk to you for a minute?" Wilbur asked, their heart restive and their breath slightly uneven.

Phil looked up from his notebook and smiled at his child. Gently shutting his book and leaning back in his armchair, he said, "Of course, William. What is it?"

Wilbur tried not to wince at the name. Sure, it's not all that different from Wilbur, but that doesn't make them any more comfortable with it. They've never identified with that name, _especially_ on certain days when they couldn't understand themselves. It took them a long while, seeing as they're seventeen now, but they've finally realized that they're genderfluid, and those certain days were days when they felt that they didn't have any gender at all.

William just feels like such a masculine name to them—but _Wilbur_ —Wilbur just feels so right. They even learn that it is a unisex name, since it started out as a female name and is now more commonly used on males, so it can work both ways! They've told their friends that they feel more comfortable with the name Wilbur and when all they got was support and hugs and _"That's such a nice name!"_ they found themselves tearing up.

The reaction they got from their friends motivated them to tell their father. However, while Phil has expressed complete support when Wilbur came out as genderfluid, he's told Wil how he feels about different names. When Wilbur was talking about their transgender friend, Fundy, Phil had said, _"Look, I one-hundred percent support anyone changing their gender, but name changing? Is that really necessary, unless the name is extremely feminine or masculine? Besides, Flora's a nice name, dunno why he couldn't have just stayed with that?"_ The thought of Wilbur changing their name must seem like a goddamn nightmare if that's the reaction to another person's child changing his.

Nevertheless, Wilbur is deciding to trust their dad with this one. They have to believe that their dad will support them on this, or they're never gonna be able to say it. Their father always said _"I'll support you through anything,"_ so they have to believe that now.

They stepped into the study, stiff and fidgety. Phil seemed to notice their nervousness and furrowed his brows, leaning toward Wil. "What's wrong, son?" he asked, and Wilbur glanced away. They whole "son" thing was nice! It really was, just... not on "they days" as Wil liked to call them. Wilbur found themselves debating this again as they remembered that, while Phil had stated his support for Wilbur being genderfluid, not once had he asked what their preferred pronouns were for the day.

Still, Wilbur pushed through and sat down in a big, comfy chair next to Phil. The soft of the cushions didn't bring them the comfort it usually did. "I, uh..." Wilbur stammered. They could still back out of this. The door was open and they could just say _"nevermind"_ and leave but... they've gotten this far. They may as well just do it.

"I want to tell you something, um... so you know how I'm genderfluid, right and I–I know what you think about these things, but... How would you feel if I had a new name?" Wilbur's leg wouldn't stop bouncing and they glanced up, finally gathering up the courage to look their father in the eyes and—

That was a mistake. The concern that had rested on Phil's face previously was now replaced with a hard slap of anger. Wilbur had half-expected this. They knew how he'd felt about Fundy's name so why did this feel like a stab to the gut and a cave in his heart?

"We have had this conversation—" _Had they? Wasn't that about Fundy?_ "—I named you William and that is how it is going to _stay_."

Wilbur furrowed their brows as a lump formed in their throat. "Why? I–I've already told my friends and they call me by my new name and it makes me feel so much more comfortable and—"

"And I don't care!" Phil exclaimed, slamming his notebook onto a side table, causing Wilbur to jump back slightly. "You're name is William. Accept it so we can both move on from this."

 _"Move on from this"_? Why was he treating it like Wilbur was chosing to become a fucking shark or some shit? It's a _name_. It's not even a hard one to adjust to—Phil could just call him Wil and he'd be doing it right!

Feeling some ounce of confidence that was most certainly fueled by nothing but rage, Wilbur stood up and shouted, "Why?! It's just a name! Wilbur! My name is _Wilbur_ , not William—it would be so easy to adjust to and it's not even that big of a deal!"

"Not that big of a deal?!" Phil boomed, shooting up out of his chair. "I picked that name for you when you were nothing but a crying boy in my arms—why wouldn't it be a big deal?!"

"I'M NOT EVEN A FUCKING BOY RIGHT NOW!" Wilbur screamed, feeling tears spill from his eyes and onto his cheeks. "But how would you know! It's not like you ask! It's all 'I support you and everything you do' until it's something out of your special little normal. Right now, I am not a boy and I am not a girl. I am not your son, I am your child. I am not William, I am Wilbur. Why should _you_ be the one to choose what _I_ get to be referred as for the rest of my life?"

Wilbur's voice had quieted down slightly and Phil just stood there, expression hard and eyes cold. Wilbur moved closer to him.

"Some day," they begin, "Everyone around be will be calling me Wilbur. They will respect me and they will respect whatever pronouns I go by for that hour, or day, or week. I will be surrounded by people I love and by people who love me, and you," they paused to take a breath, "you will be here, in this big old house. It will be empty and you will be alone. All you have to do is respect me. Respect my pronouns and respect my name. That's all I ask and it's truly not that difficult. I don't understand why it's such a trouble for you.

"But if you don't do these things, I need you to remember that you will not have a relationship with me. Your only son will not be around. If you still do these things—if you still think these ways—I will not invite you to my wedding, because I do not want to listen to a comment about the name 'Wilbur' being on the invitations. You will not be there when I become a father because I do not want to see a look of distaste on your face upon seeing 'Wilbur' on the birth certificate. You will miss so much of me, and the most you may see me in the future could be on your death bed.

"I want you to think about that. I want you to drag yourself out of that shithole you call a mind and I want you to think about what the future of you and me—your only child—will look like." Done with their speech, they wiped the tears from their face and walked toward the door. Turning back for just a moment, they stated, "Come back to me when you've done that. And you fucking better be calling me Wilbur when you do."

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! If you’d like to read the happier one, it’s probably out by now, so go on and enjoy! Have a lovely morning/day/evening! <33


End file.
